Operation Friendship
by Jayne Leigh
Summary: It has been a few month since B.J suffered a compartment hemorrhage and his arm still doesn't feel right. He is determined to keep it from the others until he knows for sure but Hawkeye will go to any lengths to find out what's wrong with his best friend


**Okay, here's another series. Set a few months after 'Operation Friendship.' Please review and let me know what you think! **

**Enjoy! **

**Operation Friendship**

The sound of a metal instrument dropping on the floor caused Potter to look up from the wounded solider on the table in front of him.

"Hunnicutt, that's the third time you've dropped something today...You feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, Colonel." B.J sighed. "I'm guess, I'm just tired."

"And only after 14 hours of surgery...Lightweight." Hawkeye quipped, not bothering to lift his head from his own patient.

"Klinger? How many more wounded are there?" Potter asked the Clerk as he entered the OR.

"Two more, Colonel." Klinger replied, as he moved around the operating room, dodging nurses.

"Winchester, how are you doing over there?" Potter looked over at Charles just as the Major stepped back from the table.

"I'm done."

"Pierce?" Potter asked his Chief Surgeon.

"I'm just about ready to close."

"Okay, Hunnicutt, once you are done with that patient, I want you to head back to the swamp to get some rest."

"Colonel..."

"And that is an order." Potter cut him off. "We can handle it from here."

"I'm fine..."

"If Hunnicutt doesn't want to leave then I gladly will." Charles stated as his last patient was lifted off his table and carried out of the OR.

"You stay right there, Major!" Potter warned then looked over when the door swung open and another solider was carried on. "Goldmen, Major Winchester's table is empty."

"I can close for you, Captain." Margaret offered. She had been keeping a close eye on B.J. He had not seemed himself. He was not as quick as he normally was and he had barely said a word all day.

"There's no need..."

"Hunnicutt, go!" Potter ordered.

"Yeah, we've got it covered here, Beej." Hawkeye added, looking over at his friend.

B.J sighed in defeat. "Fine, I know where I'm not wanted."

Potter watched as the Captain left the O.R with a frown.

"Pierce, anything going on that I should know?"

"He's tired."

"We all are." Winchester snarled.

"I've never had to worry about sending Hunnicutt out of surgery before." Potter continued, ignoring Charles.

"Well, if there is something else going on, he hasn't said anything to me," Hawkeye claimed. "I'm sure he's just run down."

Potter decided to drop it; he believed Hawkeye when he said he did not know what was going on but he was sure that was something wrong with B.J.

Once he had finished with his patient and was sure that Winchester and Pierce had everything under control, he headed over to the swamp. When he got there he found B.J sat on his bunk, staring at the picture of Peg and Erin.

"How are you feel?"

B.J looked up quickly and placed the photo back down. "Colonel, I'm sorry about in O.R...I don't know what happened..."

Potter held a hand to stop him. "There's no need to apologies...We all have bad days. Today's was just yours."

"I guess, I'm just tired."

"Huh-uh..." Potter sat down opposite the Captain. "I'm not buying that."

B.J sighed, running a hand over his eyes. "Colonel, I don't know what to tell you."

"Are you coming down with something?"

"No..."

"Is everything okay at home?" The Colonel gestured to the photo.

"What? Yeah, sure...everything is fine."

"I'm guessing, you are missing them."

"Everyday." B.J whispered, his eyes moving back to the picture.

"Son, there is nothing more I like then to be able to send you back home to them...But I just can't."

"I know, Colonel." B.J assured him. "It's just hard."

Potter watched him for a seconds. "Listen, I may not be able to send you to the States but I could get you a week in Tokyo."

"Colonel, there's no need..."

"You're no good here, if you are too tired for surgery." Potter told him. "Take a week R&R, buy your wife and daughter some gifts and get some rest."

B.J opened his mouth to protest again but realized that the Colonel actually had a good idea. "Okay."

"Good! I'll get Klinger started on the paperwork so you can leave in the morning."

"Thanks, Colonel...I really appreciate this."

Potter patted his shoulder as he stood up. "Just come back rested...We need you."

"Yes, Sir..."

B.J waited until the Colonel had left, before falling back onto his cot and covered his eyes with his hands. He just prayed that a week in Tokyo would help...

**XxXxX**

B.J paced, anxiously in a waiting room, inside Tokyo General Hospital. He had been waiting for 15 minutes now and he was already beginning to regret his decision to come. The door opening, startled him and turned around to face Dr. Norm Traeger.

"Well, Captain Hunnicutt...I was surprised to hear you were here to see me." Traeger said. "I'm guessing this is not a social visit."

"Well, I just thought that since I was in Tokyo I might be a good idea to...Y'know, since you operated on my arm and..."

"Has there been any problems?" Traeger questioned.

"No, just...Y'know just some twinges."

"Twinges?" Traeger repeated.

"It's nothing really...I'm probably wasting both our times..."

"Captain..." Traeger cut him off. "Why don't you tell me what is really going on?"

B.J sighed. "I've been struggling in the O.R...I'm slow... I've...I've been dropping things..."

Traeger stepped forward and reached for his arm to examine it. "There's some swelling."

"Yeah, I noticed it after surgery yesterday."

"Have you been doing a lot of surgery?"

"I'm stationed at a MASH unit...It seems like I'm always in surgery."

"Al right, well we'll do some x-rays and find out what is going on."

B.J nodded but did not say anything. Even though, Traeger never said it out loud, B.J knew there was a chance he could have nerve damage; which would mean the end of his surgical career.

**XxXxX**

"Colonel, I REFUSE to spend another night in that tent!" Charles announced, slamming his breakfast tray down on the table, where the Colonel was sitting with Father Mulcahy and Margaret.

"Problems, Winchester?" Potter asked calmly.

"Just one moment of peace...That is all I ask for."

"Peace?" Hawkeye repeated, appearing behind the Major. "Charles, didn't anyone tell you? We're in a middle of a war."

"This...This is what I'm talking about!" Charles jabbed a finger in Hawkeye's direction.

"What have I done?"

"You have not left me alone...Not for one minute since Hunnicutt left camp six days ago!" Charles exclaimed.

"Simmer down, Winchester." Potter told him.

"I am going back to the swamp!" He grabbed his tray, glaring at Hawkeye. "Alone!"

"Why can't you two play nicely?" Potter sighed, as they watched Winchester storm out.

"Hey, I've been nothing but nice to the guy." Hawkeye insisted as he took a seat next to Father Mulcahy. "I can't help it that he's no fun."

"Are you missing, B.J, Hawkeye?" Father Mulcahy questioned.

"I don't see, why I couldn't go with him." Hawkeye replied, with a hint of whine in his voice. "We haven't had any wounded in...You haven't needed me."

"I could not risk losing two doctors, besides Hunnicutt needed to get away to rest...He does not need a week full of non stop partying." Potter told him.

"I'm just worried that is all... B.J's the king of brooding...I don't think, it'll do him good to be alone when he's in this kind of mood."

"Oh, he's a grown man...He can take care of himself." Margaret told him.

"Besides, he'll be back tomorrow and I hope he'll be feeling better." Potter added.

"I guess..." Hawkeye said but he still unsure. The few days before B.J had gone on R&R, he had not been himself and while Hawkeye was sure he would get over whatever put him in a dark mood, he did not like that he was doing alone in Japan.

**TBC**

**Please review.**


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